Under New Management
by TaurusPrincess
Summary: Kloppman is dead and has left the Lodging House to his out-of-state grandson. Will the Manhattan Newsies accept him? Or will they send James A. S. Johnson back to his ranch in El Dorado, Texas?
1. Default Chapter

Hey everyone! This is my first posted fanfic and I hope y'all enjoy it! I would be so incredibly happy if you would R&R (I'll take bad criticism too! I need to know how good or bad I did!) So have fun reading!  
  
Oh yeah! I can't forget the disclaimer: I, in no way, shape or form own the Newsies or anything affiliated with them (I know, it's a down right shame! Looks like I have to let them go. **Wipes tear from eye as she opens the locked door**)  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Racetrack Higgins rolled over towards the bright morning sun squeezing his eyes tighter wondering when Kloppman would be up to wake the newsies. Just as he was about to fall back up sleep he jolted up realizing that the sun wasn't suppose to be up this high in the morning for late March. Race searched for his pocket watch and upon finding it, he opened the gold object up to see what time it was.  
  
'11:30! It can' be 11:30! We shoulda's been up hours ago. Somet'ing must be wrong.' After he shut his watch, Race quickly walked over to Jack Kelly's bunk bed.  
  
"Heya Cowboy. Gedup. Cowboy… Jack." Race said while shaking Jack.  
  
"Mmmhnmm." The sleeping Manhattan leader mumbled as he turned his back towards Race.  
  
"Cowboy, yous need ta gedup."  
  
"Go back ta sleep, Race. We's still gotta while before Kloppman gets us up." Jack said in between stifled yawns.  
  
"No Jack. It's 11:30."  
  
With that, Jack sat up and faced Race. "What do yous mean a 11:30? Why didn't anyones get me up this moining? I didn't get in dat late last night."  
  
"No ones could get ya up accordn' to da fact dat dey's all still sleepin'. Somet'ings gotta be wrong wit Kloppman." Race said with fear prevalent upon his face.  
  
"We's best go check on him den." Jack said as jumped off his top bunk and pulled on his pants. "Heya Skittery. Skittery." Jack nudge the sleeping figure in the topbunk next to his. "Skittery, gedup!"  
  
"What! I didn't do it!" Skittery said as he sat up.  
  
"I don't' care what yous didn't or did do. Jist start getting everyone up. Kloppman didn't get us up dis moinin and me and Race are gonna go and find out why." Skittery hopped off his bunk and began getting the rest of the newsies up as Race and Jack walked out of the bunkroom. Before the two even reached the top of the stairs, they stopped dead in their tracks. There, at the bottom of the steps, lay Kloppman spread out across the floor. Jack quickly walked down the steps still in some sort of shock like state and knelt next to the body.  
  
"Race, go get one o' da guys ta get a docta!" Jack yelled back up the steps trying not to let his emotions show through his voice. Race nodded and walked back into the bunkroom where they boys were getting ready.  
  
"Blink, Mush. Go 'n' get a doctah. 'N' go out da fiah escape." Race told the first two newsies he saw that were completely dressed. The two newsies looked at Race with concern on their faces, but quickly went out through the window. The other boys in the room became curious at Race's request and began to head towards the door before he stopped them. "Dutchy, Specs, yous guys bettah keep de youngn's in 'ere." Race ordered, his voice shock with fear as he spoke.  
  
The rest of the newsies followed Race to the stairs. He stopped once again at the top, this time noticing that neither Jack nor Kloppman's body were at the bottom. The boys behind Race gave each other confused looks for they still had no idea what was going on. The boys continued to follow Race to Kloppman's room. Once they got a look into the room, they saw their leader kneeling next to Kloppman's bed, tears running down his face. They all knew now what was wrong.  
  
**  
  
"I'm sorry boys, there was nothing anyone could do to save him." The doctor looked around the room at the heart-stricken newsboys. No one bear to look at the doctor. "He must have had the heart-attack while walking up the stairs to wake you this morning. He was probably dead before his head hit the floor. I'm sorry."  
  
**  
  
"We are gathered here today to lay to rest a great, gentle, and kind man. He was the father figure to the boys of his lodging house. We will all miss him here on earth, but know that we will see him once again on judgment day…"  
  
**  
  
"He didn't have much to leave, though, in his will he left the lodging house residents his money. That is roughly 770 dollars. Divide between all of you; it comes to 22 dollars per person, which Mr. Kloppman stated in his will that 'it should cover everyone's rent for the next year.' He left the lodging house to someone out of state."  
  
"Who did 'e leave da house to?" One of the boys managed to ask, trying desperately to hold back his tears.  
  
"Well, let me see." The lawyer began to reread the short will to himself until he came to what he was looking for. "Ah. Here it is. Um… It says 'The deed to the property belonging to the departed Mr. Joseph Kloppman, shall hereby be left to his surviving daughter, Alice Josephine Johnson, and her husband, James Alexander Johnson. If the for mentioned are unable to take over the property do to prior business engagements, the property shall be bequeathed to his only grandchild, James A. S. Johnson.'" Some of the boys looked up at the mention of Kloppman's family. None of them could believe that he had had a grandson, let alone a wife. They always thought he had never married. "If my notes are correct, Mr. Kloppman's family has been contacted, and his grandson shall be arriving next Friday morning from El Dorado, Texas. I hope you boys will be able to take care and manage the lodging house until next week. Once again I'm really sorry." The lawyer picked up his briefcase patting Jack on the back as he walked out of the lobby of the Manhattan Newsboy Lodging House.  
  
**  
  
The week came and went slower than imaginable. None of the boys could fathom the idea of a new person operating the lodging house. In their opinion, no one, not even Kloppman's own flesh and blood, could ever be as nice and as caring as he was.  
  
The boys sat in Tibby's Thursday night after a long hard day of selling, somewhat enjoying their meal, yet still depressed over the resent tragedy. Most sat around discussing quietly the day's events and trying to avoid the unavoidable events that were soon to unfold with the next days sun. Finally someone brought up the question everyone wanted to know but didn't want to ask.  
  
"So… um… Jack. What are we goin' do about tamorrah? Do yous want a couple of us not ta woik 'n' go 'n' met 'im at de train station? Maybe Davey can get outta goin' ta school 'n' come 'n' help whoevah goes." Snoddy asked the leader of their group.  
  
"No. Everyones gonna sell der papes tamorrah. I's sure 'e can find 'is way to da lodgin' house." Jack angrily snapped back at Snoddy while warning off any other questions.  
  
No one was taking Kloppman's death and the news of the new owner harder than Jack. Of course every one of the Manhattan Newsboy Lodging House's residents looked to Kloppman as a father figure, but to Jack he was more. The younger newsies of the house looked up to the older newsies and the older newsies looked up to Jack, their fearless leader. That didn't leave anyone for Jack to look up to but Kloppman, a person he gladly admired. The deceased man's kindness, generosity, and the way he would let an orphaned boy stay at the lodging house for free until he had enough money to pay for some food and a bed for at least a week were all things Jack loved about the old man. While still picking threw the food in front of him, Jack vowed to himself that he would never let the new owner replace Kloppman in anyway, shape, or from as long as he was a newsy. 


	2. Is THAT the new manager?

San Antonio Rose: Well, I'm not a big fan. My sister is. It's one of her most favorite movies of all time. I spelled it like that because of the fact that when I was looking at a map of Texas trying to decide on a town, that's how the map spelled it. I'm going to go back and change that. Oh yeah! They're from the movie.  
  
VinylNoMiko, Jo, Ann Valentine, Rae Kelly: I had to get the audience wanting more, so here's more  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies or any thing affiliated with them. I hope Disney is happy.  
  
  
  
  
  
**  
  
Friday morning came and went with no signs of the mysterious James Johnson. Some of the boys stopped by the lodging house during lunch to see if the new owner had arrived, only to find no one their. Most of the boys didn't expect James to ever show up at all when they returned to the lodging house that night.  
  
The Manhattan newsies sat around the old, dust covered lobby playing cards, marbles, or talking Friday evening. No one noticed the door to the lodging house open or someone walking in until they heard a loud thud. Every head in the lobby looked at the person, no make that a girl, standing in the doorway behind a large trunk with a carpetbag over each arm. She wore well-worn pants, a shirt with the top few buttons undone, and a beige trench coat that stopped just below her knees. She carefully readjusted the dusty brown cowboy hat that rested on her head letting a few strands of her sun-bleached hair escape from underneath. The girl answered every newsies' question when she opened her mouth and let her voice out.  
  
"First off, before anyone asks any questions, I would like to apologize for sounding like bitch, but a day and a half on a very uncomfortable and crowded train well do that to you. Secondly, I would like to thank you for coming to meet me at the train station. I know you all must have been very busy today. I spent four hours at the station and I can be proud of the fact that I now know it like the back of my hand. Luckily I'm not as weak as I look and I was able to haul my bags half way across the city. But thank you once again for your assistance." Her ocean-blue eyes peered out from under her cowboy hat, scanning the room as she spoke.  
  
"Who are yous? Cuz yous must have the wrong building or some'ting." Jack said as he walked over to the smart-mouthed girl.  
  
" No, I have the right building. I'm very surprised you haven't figured that out yet, Cowboy. Let me introduce myself. I'm James Alexander Summer Johnson. And you must be the fearless leader of the Manhattan newsies, Jack Kelly. Let me guess, you all thought some guy would be coming out to run this place? Well I can't help it if my father named me before he found out I was a girl." Every jaw in the room hit the floor at the realization that this girl was the new owner of the lodging house. "You all know that if you keep your mouths open you'll attract flies."  
  
"How did ya know me name?" Jack asked quickly regaining his composer.  
  
"I may have lived half way across the country, but I did write to my grandfather, God rest his soul, and he wrote back to me. My grandfather wrote a description of every newsy in his letters so I would know who was who if I ever came out to visit. So I would say the fact that you're lacking a little bit in the intelligence department led me to the conclusion that you were Jack. Plus the cowboy hat was a dead give away." Summer had to laugh at the look on Jack's face as well as the other newsies. None of them could believe that a girl was talking like this to Jack.  
  
"Did you jist insult me?"  
  
"Yeah I did. What you going to do about it, huh?" Jack just stared at her. No matter how much he wanted to at that very moment, he wouldn't bring himself to hit a girl. "Absolutely nothing. I thought so. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to give myself a tour of the place, unless one of you want to make up for not meeting me at the train station?" The guys looked back and forth between Jack and Summer afraid of what Jack might do if one of them did help.  
  
"I'll give ya a tour." One of the newsies stood up and walked over to Summer. He tried desperately to avoid Jack's glare.  
  
"Thank you. At least one person in this place is nicer than the fearless leader. I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say you're… Mush. Am I right?"  
  
"Yeah." Even though she was being a major pain in the neck to one of his friends, Mush couldn't help but admit that Summer was, well, quite breath taking. She wasn't beautiful, but she had an air to her that made her, well, stunning. He couldn't help but stare at her. And he was sure that he wasn't the only one staring.  
  
"Well, Mush, are you going to give me a tour of the place, or would you like to stare at my breasts for the rest of the night?" Muffled laughs could be heard from around the room as Mush's face turned red. "Oh, Jack. Don't stare at Mush like his Benedict Arnold; he's only being nice, unlike some people I know. You ready to go Mush?" For the first time that night, Summer smiled, reviling to the boys that maybe, just maybe she wasn't as cold hearted as she sounded.  
  
"Jist let me get your trunk." Mush wanted to take this chance to show off for the new manager.  
  
"Are you sure you can handle it?" Summer smirked at the curly haired boy. 'Boys. Always wanting to show off to the opposite sex. When will they ever learn?"  
  
"Yeah, I'se soah I can get it." Mush proceeded to grab the ends of the trunk and tried to pick it up. He only had it a few inches off the ground when he dropped it. "Ow! Shit!" Summer as well as several newsies laughed at the boy as he held his injured foot.  
  
"Here. I'll take the trunk and you take my two bags." She handed her bags to Mush and picked up the trunk with ease. For the second time that night, every jaw in the room hung open. "What? It's not that heavy. And like I said before, you're attacking flies. Come Mush, show me to my sleeping quarters." Mush led the way down the hall to her new room.  
  
Jack let out a frustrated sigh when the two were out of eyesight. "Don't let her get to ya, Cowboy. Like she said, she had along trip. Maybe she'll be better in da moining." Crutchy said as Jack sat down in one of the ragged chairs of the lobby.  
  
"'Opefully, or it's gonna be hell in this house."  
  
**  
  
"So James…" Mush began as he sat her bags down on her bed.  
  
"You can call me Summer." She put her trunk down with a thud and placed her cowboy hat on her bed.  
  
"Ok. Summer, who's Benedict Arnold?" Mush asked as he walked back out of the room.  
  
"Oh, he's a guy from the Revolutionary War that was hung because he betrayed the Untied States." Mush gulped upon hearing this. "Now that I've seen my room, how about showing me the rest of the house?"  
  
"Yeah. Let's go." Mush showed Summer the rest of the lodging house ending the tour back in the lobby.  
  
"Well thank you Mush for the lovely tour of the facilities. Now if you don't mind me, I think I shall turn in for the night. I suggest you all do the same." Summer waited for the boys to start heading up stairs to make sure they all went up.  
  
"We don' have ta go ta sleep now. We're in da middle of a pokah game 'ere." Jack protested as he motioned for Race, Skittery, Blink, and Itey to stay seated. He wasn't about to let this girl tell him or his boys what to do.  
  
"Jack, like I said before, go to bed or you'll regret it tomorrow morning." Summer walked over to the table where the five were playing, standing next to Jack.  
  
"We ain't goin' to bed until we's finished with da game." Jack stood up to challenge Summer. She stared back at him with intense eyes. She wouldn't back down from this challenge.  
  
"No, you're going to go to bed now!" The newsies that were still in the room watched the two, both out of curiosity and fear.  
  
"Jack, maybe we should jist go ta bed, seen' how we have ta gedup early 'n' all." Skittery said as he stood up from the card table.  
  
"No we's not gonna go ta bed."  
  
"Fine Jack, you win. Stay up as long as you want to." Jack smiled at the fact that Summer backed down. "But starting tomorrow night, curfew will be nine thirty. You all can thank your fearless leader for that." Now it was Summer's turn to smile. "Now good night to you all." And with that, she retreated to her bedroom for a well-deserved rest.  
  
**  
  
Because I'm not very good at descriptions, if you have ever seen El Dorado, just picture that Summer looks some what like Joey. Please R&R! I'll try and have the next Chapter up ASAP. Thanks! 


	3. 20 Questions and Cold Showers

San Antonio Rose: I give up! I'm not going to worry about the town anymore. I don't know. He might make an appearance later on. Who knows? I might use his given name as the villain of the story. Oops! Gave too much away! But thank you for reviewing!  
  
To everyone else that reviewed: thank you guys so much! (  
  
Disclaimer (is anyone else getting tired of this?): I don't own the Newsies. Period. I do however own Summer, her parents, and any other people I decide to put in my story.  
  
**  
  
  
  
Summer soundlessly walked up the old, worn stairs to the boys' bunkroom. She smiled when she entered the room. 'They all look so peaceful when they are a sleep. So much like the boys back home. Too bad most of them are little devils when they are a wake.' The new manager proceeded to put two of her fingers to her wind-dried lips. Some of the boys jumped out of bed at the whistle while the rest burrowed deeper under their blankets. "Up and at 'em boys. Time to get a move on." She spoke as she walked down the row of bunks.  
  
"It can' be time ta geddup yet." Race called as he searched for his cigar.  
  
"It's 3:30. Time to get a move on." Every boy that was moving at the time stopped what he was doing and stared at the girl.  
  
"T'ree-thoity?! Who in der right mind would get up at t'ree thoity?" Blink questioned as he and the other boys climbed back into bed.  
  
"I see no problem with getting up at this time in the morning. In fact, I got up at three-thirty every morning back at the ranch."  
  
"And what possessed you ta do dat?" Asked Skittery in between yawns.  
  
"First off, I had to wake up all the hired hands. We had fifteen of them, all about y'all's age. Then we had to do the morning chores like feed and water the cattle." Summer's last words were lost in the slight snoring of the boys. A smile yet again crossed her face at how peaceful they all looked. "Well, I guess I just got to get use to New York time. I'll just get y'all up in an hour or so." She said as she left the bunkroom of the slumbering boys.  
  
**  
  
  
  
Summer sat at the front desk reading one of her most favorite books of all time when someone startled her. Well if it did startle her, she didn't show it. She carefully looked up from the pages of her book to see a newsy staring back at her.  
  
"I thought you would all be in bed thankful to get another hour of sleep. Is something wrong?" Summer said as she pushed her reading glasses up onto her head.  
  
"No, not'ins wrong. I just couldn't go back ta sleep. Mind if I join yous?" The newsy asked, pointing towards a stool opposite of Summer.  
  
"Go right ahead. You're Skittery right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well Skittery, it nice to finally meet you after everything my grandfather had to write about you." Summer let one of her genuine smiles escape across her lips as she talked to Skittery, but only for a second. Her lips returned to the tight frown from the night before. She seemed to almost regret letting Skittery sit down.  
  
"I 'ope it was nothin' bad." He said leaning across the front desk.  
  
"It was all good." Summer carefully bent down the corner of the page she was on and handed the book over to Skittery.  
  
"So. What book yous readin'?"  
  
"My favorite book and play of all time Romeo and Juliet." A dreamy looked crossed her eyes but quickly vanished as she spoke.  
  
"Shakespeare, right?" Skittery asked as he thumbed through several of the pages. 'This goil gets more int'restin every minute she's 'ere.'  
  
"You know your literature. My mother always told me that you could tell what a person is like by the type of books he reads." Summer's attitude from last night seemed to all but disappear as she talked with Skittery. This confused the newsy even more.  
  
"So what would I be able to tell about yous?"  
  
"Probably that I'm a hopeless romantic and that I believe in destiny and other things from the time period except for the Elizabethan concept of love."  
  
"What's Elizabetn' love?"  
  
"Love at first sight. Only loving someone for the way they look and not for who they are."  
  
"Oh." Skittery appreared to be in deep thought as he said this. Was this the same girl that insulted his friend and leader last night? The same girl that was now talking about love? Maybe it was the train ride that made her grumpy.  
  
"Is something the matter?" Summer asked the newsy.  
  
"Um…no. It's just that… why did yous come ta New York and not one of ya parents? Cuz yous don't look any older dan any of use." Skittery asked this question instead of the one he really wanted to ask.  
  
"Well I'll be 18 in June, so I'm not that much older then y'all. And to answer your question, my father has to run the ranch and my mother has to run her hotel and saloon. Why'd you want to know?" Summer stared at the newsy curiously.  
  
"Just 'cuz."  
  
"Whatever. So now that you know a little about me, I think it's time for you to tell me a little about yourself." Summer asked.  
  
"Fair 'nough. I've lived in Manhattan all me life…" Their conversation went on like this, each getting to know the other. Both began to think each would become a great friend. Summer seemed to lighten up with the more the two talked. That is until Skittery came to a certain question.  
  
**  
  
"So, why do yous hate Jack?" Skittery asked as soon as he stopped laughing at the story Summer just told him.  
  
"I don't know him well enough to hate him yet. Let's just say I strongly dislike him with a burning passion." She spat out, the smile and playfulness now gone from her face.  
  
"So why do you dislike him?"  
  
"Because his an arrogant, rude, selfish boy!" Summer stared at Skittery daring him to ask another question related to it.  
  
"I'se sorry Summer. I didn't mean ta strike a noive wit ya."  
  
"It's ok. Besides, it's 5:30. Time to get the rest of the boys up." Summer said as she looked at her pocket watch. Skittery followed her back up to the bunkroom. "Now what shall I do? Ah! I know." Summer cleared her throat and spoke as loud as she could with out screaming. "'Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief.'" Skittery laughed at what she was doing as he walked into the bathroom. Not many people would dare pull a blanket off of a sleeping newsy. "Don't worry about being modest, boys. You ain't got anything I haven't seen before." Summer continued to pull the blankets off those that refused to get up tossing them into the middle of the room, until she got to Jack.  
  
She carefully nudged the sleeping newsy. "Jack, get up. Jack…"  
  
"Lemmelone." The leader turned his back to her. "Go away Summer."  
  
"No Jack. Get up now or you'll be sorry."  
  
"Let me sleep Summer." Jack curled up tighter in his blanket as he spoke.  
  
"Fine Jack." He could hear Summer's retreating foots as he went back to sleep. Muffled laughter could as he tried to doze off. Suddenly he was drenched from head to toe with ice-cold water. Jack sat up to see Summer holding a bucket in her hand, smiling at Jack. "Next rime you'll get up when I tell you Jack." And with that, Summer left a very stunned leader and the other newsies to finish getting ready for what was to become a very long, long day.  
  
  
  
**  
  
Sorry if this chapter sucked. I had a massive case of writers block. I'll go ahead and admit it now. I have a problem with writing the beginning and then planning out things to happen several chapters ahead instead of working on the next. So enough about my problems, go and review! (  
  
Oh yeah! I'm going to a Freedom Foundation Conference this week and will be nowhere near a computer so I will not be able to update. I will try and get the next chapter up before I leave and hopefully I will have more to post when I return. Thanks. 


	4. Bombs Away!

Sorry I haven't been able to update. First I was in Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, and then I went on Spring Break out of town (in the boondocks of Virginia of you must know).  
  
Disclaimer: The only people I own so far are Summer and her family except for her grandfather. I don't own the Newsies.  
  
  
  
Jack walked around Manhattan yelling out the day's headlines in one of his rare bad moods. Summer had rubbed him the wrong way. It hadn't even been 24 hours since she had arrived and she had already managed to get on his bad side. Very few people had ever gotten on his bad side, and no one this quickly, not even Pulitzer. What he didn't understand was how such a little bitch could be related to Kloppman. He didn't remember Kloppman ever being mean or rude to a single person that entered the Lodging House.  
  
"Heya Cowboy!" The familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Jack looked back to see who was calling his name. He was greeted with two newsies running towards him.  
  
"Hey Dutchy, Specs. What's up?" Jack became concerned when he saw the look on the two newsies' faces after they caught their breath.  
  
"Yous not gonna believe what she's done now." Specs answered the leader.  
  
"What's she done?"  
  
"Ya know how after we got our papes dis moining, how me and Specs went back to da Lodging House 'cuz I forgot me cap?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, when we got der, da door was locked. We t'ought dat maybe Summer jist went out dis moining to run some errands. So we figured we'd sell awhile den come back."  
  
"Get to da point." Jack began to grow impatient with the two.  
  
"I'se getting' der. So anyway, when we came back, der was dis note on da door that said somet'ing like not allowed back in da Lodgin' House…"  
  
"'Til seven o'clock. We and several odah guys tried all the windows but dey's all locked. And we know she's in der 'cuz Itey saw her walk back into da Lodging House." Specs said, finishing Dutchy's story. Jack was speechless. Summer had basically kicked all of them out of their living quarters. She had to be stopped.  
  
The three newsies ran as quickly as they could back to the Lodging House, all the while Jack was thinking of a plan to get back into the house. When they arrived, several other newsies greeted the three, especially Jack, with complaints.  
  
"How could she do dat, Cowboy?" Blink asked.  
  
"She owns da place now. She can do what ever she want ta." Race answered before Jack could speak.  
  
"What are we gonna do, Jack?" Bumlets questioned the leader. Jack walked up the stairs, ripping the note off the door.  
  
'Dear Manhattan Newsboy Lodging House Residents,  
  
Do not come back to the Lodging House until seven tonight. I would like not to be disturbed from my work. Don't try to pick the locks because if you succeed, there is a chair in front of the door. That goes for the back entrance too. Also, the windows are locked, so I recommended not to try the fire escape.  
  
Sincerely Yours,  
  
Summer Johnson.  
  
Jack crumpled the piece of paper in his hands. Summer had gone over the edge now. There was no way she was getting away with this. Jack walked back down to the other newsies when something went whizzing past his head and crashed into the sidewalk. He looked down to see a smashed flowerpot and then back up to see where it had come from. Summer could be seen leaning over the edge of the roof.  
  
"I'm so sor… oh. It's just you Jack." Summer yelled down to the boys.  
  
"Yous coulda hit me wit dat!" Anger built up with in Jack.  
  
"Next time I'll aim for your head."  
  
"What's wit lockin' us outta da lodgn' house?" Jack asked as Summer disappeared and reappeared down on the fire escape so she would have to yell so loud.  
  
"How am I going to get any work done if y'all keep coming in and out of the lodging house?"  
  
"We have a right to be in der as much as you do. You can' jist go an' kick us out!"  
  
"I own the place, so I can do whatever I want to do. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to finish." Summer started to make her way back up the fire escape when Jack yelled at her.  
  
"What are we gonna do 'til seven?"  
  
"This is New York for crying out loud! You're a big boy now. I'm sure you can find something to do." Jack stared at Summer's retreating figure; his eyes driving daggers threw her body. As soon as she was out of sight, he let out a frustrated cry while punching the air. The rest of the newsies slowly disappeared into the Manhattan streets not wanting to hang around Jack while he was mad. 


	5. A Gem, A Bloody Nose, And Poker

Disclaimer: Yah! I own another person now. I now own Emerald and Summer; however, I still don't own the Newsies.  
  
  
  
That night all the boys, including Jack (even though he would have rather stayed out longer and pissed Summer off more), had managed to get back to the Lodging House before curfew at nine thirty; however, when they entered the building, they were shocked. The once dust-covered lobby was spotless. What was even more shocking was their bunkroom. Their beds, which usually were always in disarray, were made with out a single wrinkle in them and their extra clothes, if they had a second pair, were folded neatly on top of the bunk. Even their bathroom was clean. Everything was spotless.  
  
Summer sat behind her desk finishing some paper work when she checked her pocket watch. Deciding that the paper work could wait till morning, she got up and went to lock the front door. As she started to stick the key in the door, it flew open slamming Summer in the face. She clutched her bleeding nose as she pulled her father's handkerchief out of her pocket. Summer, who was still bent over trying to stop the blood, turned her head to see a girl in boys clothing, carrying a carpetbag, run up the stairs two at a time. Still holding her nose with the handkerchief, Summer followed the girl up the stairs to the newsies' bunkroom.  
  
As soon as she entered the door, she was hit with a twang of jealousy. There, in front of her eyes, the blonde headed girl was hugging Jack. Once the girl let go of Jack, Summer got a better look at her. She was beautiful. It wasn't humanly possible for someone to be that beautiful.  
  
'Wait a minute James Alexander Summer! This is Jack were talking about here. The same one that's being a little prick to you. Why do you care what little whore he hires for the night?'  
  
"I got here as soon as I got your letter Jack. I'm sorry I couldn't be for the funeral." The girl said, her words dripping with a southern accent.  
  
Before Jack could answer the girl, Skittery blurted, "What happened ta yous, Summer?" every head in the room turned and looked at the manager.  
  
"I got in a fight with the front door. Needless to say the door one." Summer answered, pushing her thoughts away. Skittery grabbed her arms and guided her over to one of the beds so she could sit down.  
  
"I'm so sorry! I didn't no there was anyone behind the door." The mystery girl walked over to Summer to get a better look at the damage she had done.  
  
"It's ok. It's almost stopped bleeding and I don't think you broke it. Jack, you better quit laughing or so help you'll have a matching bloody nose." Jack quickly sobered up at this.  
  
"Ah, finally another girl that can put Jack in his place. I'm Emily Duke." Emmy extended her hand out to Summer.  
  
Summer took Emmy's hand after making sure there was no blood on it and answered, "Summer Johnson. Nice to meet you. Jack, I thought my grandfather enforced the rule of no girlfriends in the bunkroom after curfew?"  
  
"She's…" Before Jack could finish, Emmy butted in.  
  
"You think I'm his girlfriend? Ha! That's a laugh. I wouldn't date him even if he was the last guy on earth." Jack placed his hands over his heart and acted like he was hurt. "He's like my overly protective older brother. And since when was curfew nine thirty?"  
  
"Since your 'brother' decided to be a smart ass. Then who are you?" Summer asked as she stood up, shoving the bloody handkerchief into her pants pocket.  
  
"What'd ya mean who is she? This is me girlfriend, the infamous Emerald Duke." A blonde headed newsy spoke as he wrapped an arm around Emmy's waste.  
  
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Emmy said placing a kiss on his cheek.  
  
"Only 'cuz I love ya Emmy."  
  
"You mean it?"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"All right! Dat's enough outta the two of yous. As Dutchy was sayin' this is Emerald a.k.a Emmy Duke, the foist female newsy of New York; best newsy next ta Jack, best fighter next ta Spot Conlon, and best poker player nest ta yous truly. She also owns the bed Dutchy sleeps in." Race said finishing out what Dutchy was originally saying while other newsies around him made gagging noises. A bright gleam formed in Summer's eyes at the mention of poker.  
  
"And I would know this how? No one around here has told me anything in the last twenty-four hours, like for instance Mush here didn't tell me you had a kitchen ("We's got a kitchen?")."  
  
"Well maybe if yous asked, we's woulda told ya."  
  
"Can it Jack." Both Summer and Emmy yelled at the same time.  
  
"So, Emmy. Just how good are you at poker?" Summer asked moving closer to the girl.  
  
"I would say pretty good. Why'd ya ask?" Emmy said letting go of her boyfriend and facing Summer.  
  
"Where I come from it's costmary to play a game of poker to seal a new friendship. You in?" Summer stuck out her hand. Emmy thought for a moment then took Summer's hand.  
  
"I'm in"  
  
**  
  
The game had been going on for at least two hours now with Summer and Emmy being the only two to have won any hands. Jack, Race, Blink, and Mush had all folded and now sat watching the two girls. Skittery was looking over Summer's shoulder while Dutchy looked over Emmy's. Neither of the girls looked too happy with their hands.  
  
"I'll see your five and raise you ten." Emmy placed fifteen dollars into the center of the 'table'. Most of the boys couldn't believe the girls were bidding so high.  
  
"I call." Summer said as she placed her money on the table. Carefully Summer placed down her five cards. "Royal flush." Summer smiled.  
  
"Wait that's impossible." Emmy looked back and forth between the cards she held in her hands and the ones on he table.  
  
"No it isn't."  
  
"Yes it is because I got a royal flush too." Emmy said as she laid down her cards.  
  
"Someone must have cheated." Jack said mumbling to himself.  
  
"What did you say, Cowboy?" Summer asked as she stood up, fury growing in her blue eyes.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"It sure didn't sound like nothing. It sounded like you were calling me a cheat. I have never cheated someone in my life because where I come from, if someone gets caught cheating, they have the right to be hung with out a trial*." Summer now stood right in front of Jack looking him in the eye the best she could considering she was only 5'6.  
  
"I think we'll just call it a strange miracle." Emmy said stepping between the two.  
  
"And I'se t'ink we should go ta bed now, considerin' it's after midnight." Skittery said as he pulled Summer towards the door.  
  
"But what about Emmy?" Summer grabbed onto the doorframe to be kept from being completely pushed out.  
  
"You can relax Summer. These boys know not to lay a finger on me."  
  
"It's not you I'm worried about. Well goodnight. It was nice meeting you Emmy." Summer said as she headed for her room down stairs.  
  
"You to Summer."  
  
**  
  
(*) I don't remember exactly where it was in the U.S., but there was a place where people would get hanged if they were caught cheating in poker. Now that you know this, please R&R (! 


	6. Lunch is on Jack

Thanks to everyone that has reviewed.  
  
Rae Kelly- I don't know why Freedoms Foundation would sound familiar. It is a place up in Valley Forge where I went with a local club.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the newsies. I do own Emmy, Summer, and now Trigger and Robby.  
  
  
  
The next few days at the Lodging House started like the first morning and every single morning, Jack managed to get a bucket of water dumped on him with Emmy doing the honors one day (just to get back at Jack for when he threw her in the river.) It now seemed that Jack was the one with the permanent bad mood. Summer was nice to everyone but him and he wasn't nice to her. It seemed all they ever did around each other was fight like their argument this morning over Jack sneaking in after the nine-thirty curfew.  
  
During the day, the best part of her day because she didn't have to see or put up with Jack, Summer was either cleaning up the lodging, working on her plants on the roof, or doing paper work. Sometimes Emmy stayed to help Summer, that is if she wasn't out with her friends or with her boyfriend. Today was one of the days that Emmy stayed home to help Summer.  
  
"So Summer." Emmy walked over to the girl that sat at the front desk working on some papers.  
  
"Yes Emmy." Summer stared up at the girl through her glasses.  
  
"The boys were telling me last night that you lived on a ranch with a bunch of hired help that you got to wake up every morning. Were any of them cute?" Emmy' jade eyes sparkled with mischievousness.  
  
"And I thought you had a boyfriend." Summer now held her glasses in her hand as she gave the younger girl a questioning look.  
  
"I know, I know. But still, I can ask about other hot guys. I mean come on. There are a lot of hot guys in this Lodging House and just because I think they're hot doesn't mean I'm going to go and jump in bed with them."  
  
"Maybe." Summer said as she started to take the papers back to her office/room.  
  
"What do you mean maybe? I wouldn't do that to Dutchy." Emmy grabbed some of the papers and followed Summer back.  
  
"I didn't mean that. I'm just saying that there might be a couple of hot guys in this place."  
  
"There might be? Take a look around. Look at Jack. He's pretty hot. If I hadn't know him all of my life and if I didn't know how stubborn he could be, I would probably be dating him right now."  
  
"There is no way that he is hot. Why would I find someone hot that is being a complete ass to me?" The two now stood in Summer's room talking.  
  
"I was just using him as an example. Back to my original question, are there any hot guys back in Eldorado?" Emmy grinned at her new friend.  
  
"Once you've lived with some of them as long as I have, their cuteness wears off. Although, if I had to say who is the cutest out of all fifteen, it would have to be Robby." Summer smiled to herself as she thought of the boys, especially Robby.  
  
"Robby? He's name makes him sound cute. Hey what time is it."  
  
Summer opened up her pocket watch. "It's 12:30. Why?"  
  
"Just wondering. You hungry?"  
  
"Yeah kinda. Is there any good places around here to eat at?" Summer grabbed her cowboy hat off of her bedpost.  
  
"There's Tibby's. Come on let's go. You can tell me all about Robby at Tibby's." Emmy grabbed the older girl's arm and began to drag towards the front door.  
  
"Hold on one second." Summer walked back over to the front desk and picked up a letter. "I was going to read it later, but I guess I can read this while we eat." Summer carefully tucked the letter into the breast pocket of her beige trench coat. "Now we can leave."  
  
**  
  
"…And he tried to play it off about not needing them to begin with and he tripped over his own two feet trying to get up." The two girls were laughing at the story that Emmy just told about how she broke Dutchy's glasses when they entered the restaurant.  
  
"You didn't tell me that the boy's ate here." Summer whispered to the blonde girl as her eyes locked on the back of Jack's head.  
  
"Must have slipped my mind. C'mon. You put up with the in the morning and at night." Emmy waved at some of the boys as she and Summer took an empty table.  
  
"It's not them. I just don't want to put up with Jack right now." Summer said, this morning's argument still ringing fresh in her ears.  
  
"So back to your boys back in Texas, how cute is Robby?" Emmy asked after they ordered their food.  
  
"Who's Robby?" Dutchy asked as he slid in next to his girlfriend and Skittery slid in next to Summer.  
  
"My other lover." Emmy said as she kissed her boyfriends cheek.  
  
"Is 'e as cute as me?"  
  
"I don't know. That's what Summer was going to tell me before you two decided to drop in on our conversation. Now back to your boyfriend…"  
  
"Boyfriend? Since when did yous get a boyfriend?" Skittery asked, slightly crushed to hear this.  
  
"He's not my boyfriend. What would give you that idea, Emmy?"  
  
"Well back at the Lodging House when I asked you about the boys back in Texas, you got that look in your eyes, so I just assumed he was your boyfriend."  
  
"I did date him, but we were better friends than lovers. Besides, he has the hots for my best friend, Trigger." Summer said as she began to eat the food the waitress just brought.  
  
**  
  
"Hey Jack. Who's that that just walked in the door with Emmy?" The curly haired boy that sat opposite of the Manhattan leader asked.  
  
Jack turned around in his seat to see. "Oh, it's jist the ice queen herself, our new pain 'n' da ass ownah of da Lodgin' House, Summer. I recommen' not pissin' 'er off."  
  
"And why is that?" David asked his friend.  
  
"Let's jist say dat she has a bit of an attitude problem."  
  
**  
  
"So what have you been up to today, Skittery?" Summer asked trying to ignore the two lovebirds that sat across from her.  
  
"Jist da usual sellin'…." Before Skittery could finish, Summer put her hand up to silence him. She began to listen to the conversation that was taking place a few tables down from her's.  
  
"…She basically 'as a permanen' stick up 'er ass."  
  
"She can't be that bad, Jack."  
  
"To hell she ain't. I'se swear Summer's gotta be an outlaw or somet'ing back in Texas, 'cuz why else would she be 'ere instead of 'er parents?" Anger grew in Summer's eyes as she listened. Just as she was about to go over to 'talk' with Jack, a waitress began to head to that table.  
  
"Excuse me Miss, is that plate of food for that table over there?" Summer asked the waitress an idea formulating in her head.  
  
"Yes it is."  
  
"I'll give you five dollars to let me take it over there." Summer flashed the bill in front of the girl's face. The girl eagerly handed the plate over and took the bill. Summer readjusted the plate on her hand and began to walk over to Jack's table.  
  
"Summer, don' do it."  
  
"Watch me, Skittery." Emmy and Dutchy looked up from their tête-à-tête* wondering what Summer was going to do with the plate. Before they could ask, Summer had reached the other table and began to talk. "Who ordered the meatloaf and mash potatoes?"  
  
"I'se did." Jack didn't even look up the 'waitress' and continued his conversation with David. David's eyes went back and forth between Summer and Jack with recognition that this 'waitress' was the girl Jack was talking about.  
  
"Um… Jack…"  
  
"What David?" Jack turned to see who his friend was pointing at. "Oh… Hi Summer."  
  
"You know Jack, I think you're the one with the stick up your ass." Before Jack could say anything, his lunch was in his lap with a very pissed off Summer racking off the remaining food scraps with the fork. "I don't believe we've met. I am Summer, the out-law Jack was talking about. And you are?" Summer asked David, setting down the plate and picking up Jack's coke.  
  
"I'm David."  
  
"It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry we couldn't have met on better terms. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to back to the Lodging House." Summer took a sip of Jack's drink and turned to leave when Jack spoke up.  
  
"What da 'ell was dat for!?" Jack said after recovering from his shock.  
  
"You figure it out, Cowboy. Oh wait, I almost forgot your drink." Summer turned back around and poured Jack's coke into his lap. "I hope you enjoy your meal." Summer walked towards the door throwing her money on her table and said to the other newsies that stood shocked in the restaurant at what had just happened, "I'll see the rest of you tonight."  
  
**  
  
(*)-Personal conversation.  
  
Please review. I don't think you want to see me beg. 


	7. Le Baiser

Hey everybody! Thanks to those that have reviewed. I really appreciate it.  
  
Spotty: I know. They do make a cute a couple. And if you like them, just wait till I post my prequel to this story. I think you might enjoy it.  
  
Rae Kelly: Thank you for reviewing. I hope you got my e-mail. I still don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I'll remember and tell you later.  
  
Disclaimer: (Does anyone hate these things as much as I do?) I blah blah blah Newies blah blah blah Disney blah blah blah Gabriel blah blah blah Aaron blah blah blah Ivan blah blah blah Michael blah blah blah Mark blah blah blah Trey blah blah blah really hot. Enjoy this chapter and remember to R&R!  
  
  
  
**  
  
  
  
"Do they ever stop fighting? Have they even had one civil conversation with each other?" Emmy asked the boys (Mush, Blink, Race, Dutchy, and Skittery) that sat around her in the lobby that night.  
  
"I'se don' t'ink so." Race answered as he relit his cigar.  
  
"It seems dat all dey want ta do is argue wit each udah. And dey fight ovah da stupidest t'ings." Blink said as he ran his hand through his sandy hair.  
  
"I wish I knew of a way to get them to start being civil to one another."  
  
"Hey. Since we is on da subject of Summer 'n Jack, 'as anyone seen 'em?" Skittery asked.  
  
"Jack was headin' towards Brooklyn last time I saw 'im. Summer, she wasn' at da front desk like she usually is when we come in." Dutchy said.  
  
"She has to be here somewhere, or she wouldn't have left the door unlocked." Emmy started to become concerned. She hoped that Jack's comments hadn't pushed to do what she was threatening to do the other day. Leave.  
  
"She's gotta be somewhere. Maybe she's jist in 'er room or somet'ing." Mush stated.  
  
"No, I already checked."  
  
Skittery stood up and said, "She might up on da roof. I'll go 'n' check." And with that, the newsy left his concerned friends.  
  
**  
  
"…Deepest waters running swiftly, birds a-flying through the air…" Singing could be heard as Skittery walked onto the roof. Summer stood with her back to him working on her plants with only a kerosene lamp to help her see. He continued to listen to Summer singing being careful not to interrupt her. Summer had one of the most beautiful voices (does that make sense?) he had ever heard. "…Kiss a young man, go a-courting: Kind sir I don't have a care. Rattle on the stovepipe, boot-jack, Joe." Summer finished the song when Skittery started to clap. Summer jumped out the noise causing one of her flowerpots to fall off the ledge. "Crap, there goes my oregano."  
  
"I'se sorry. I didn' mean ta startle ya."  
  
"No it's ok. I just wasn't expecting anyone to come up here."  
  
"Yous got a great voice, Summer. You should sing at Medda's some time."  
  
"I don't think I can sing in front of a bunch of people I don't know."  
  
"Soah ya can. Everyone's afraid to perform in front of people dey don't know for da foist time. But it won't be people ya don't know. It'll be jist us guys 'n' maybe some from odah boroughs."  
  
"It won't be my first time."  
  
"What do ya mean not yous foist time?"  
  
"Nothing. So what brings you up here?" Summer asked, wiping her dirt covered hands on her pants.  
  
"We's all was gettin' worried about where you were 'cuz we hadn' seen you since this afternoon." Skittery walked closer to Summer so he could get a better look at her face in the dim light.  
  
"Well I've been up here most of the afternoon." Summer said, all the anger that filled her voice at lunch was nowhere to be heard.  
  
"What's gott'n you so happy, Summer? Yous was so pissed off dis afternoon 'n' now yous all happy."  
  
"Oh I get my anger out my doing hard work, usually with the cattle. But since there are no cattle in New York City, I had to make do with my plants. Plus the fact that I got a letter from Trigger today." Summer's eyes gleamed with joy as she spoke. "Trigger's coming to visit in June while the boys are on the drive." Summer carefully put out the kerosene lamp and sat down on the roof.  
  
"Why d'ya put out da lamp?"  
  
"Because you get a better view of the stars when there are less lights. Come down and join me." Skittery sat down next to Summer, watching her look up at the stars. Although he could hardly see, he could tell she was happy with the look in her eyes. It was a few minutes before Summer spoke back up. "It just amazes me every night I look up at the stars. I can't believe it." Summer turned her head and looked at Skittery.  
  
"Believe what?" Skittery began to lean in as he spoke. He couldn't help it. He had liked Summer since the first day she had arrived.  
  
"Believe that these same stars are the same ones as back home. They look so, so…"  
  
"Different?"  
  
"Yeah. And so breathtaking." Summer voice softened as she talked, her eyes slowly shutting as she leaned closer to her friend. As the two kissed, neither saw the boy that had climbed the fire escape to try and sneak in after curfew. 


	8. Could it be Jealousy?

Thanks to everyone that reviewed. I would have had this up on Friday, but some of my friends and I went out to celebrate my b-day (if you're ever in Richmond, VA, I recommend going to eat at Bottom's up. That place has the best pizza in the world. Not to mention the hottest waiters in the world too!). The rest of the weekend I was at Virginia Tech with no Internet access. Now please R&R. It would be your b-day present to me!  
  
Bronxa~ I hope you did read the rest so you would understand the name thing.  
  
Spotty and amazing-moth~ You'll just have to read and find out.  
  
Rae Kelly~ Thank you.  
  
Disclaimer: Disney owns 'em. Hopefully you know who I own by now.  
  
  
  
**  
  
  
  
Something had to be done about Summer. She had gone too far. Why was it that she was nice to everyone but him? He hadn't done anything to antagonize her, had he?  
  
'Ya pushed 'er over da edge foist.' The thought caused Jack to stop in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge. 'If ya hadn' been so arrogant on da foist night ya met 'er, she would treat ya da same way she treats da odah guys, as a friend. Or maybe more."  
  
"Yeah right. She'd probably still treat me like doit." Several of the passing people gave Jack quizzical looks. "Great, now I'se talkin' to meself. Can dis day get any worse?" Deciding that he needed a place to think (Brooklyn not being the best place in the world to do so), Jack retraced his steps and headed towards Central Park. Upon his arrival, the Manhattan leader settled under the late afternoon shade of a tree and lit one of his last remaining cigarettes.  
  
'…she'd treat ya da same way she treats da odah guys, as a friend…' the thought echoed in Jack's head. Since when did he start to care whether Summer thought of him as a friend or not. She was just someone who had to fill in the job of Lodging House owner for the time being. Besides, Jack had a promise to keep.  
  
The sun had long ago set when Jack decided to head back to the Lodging House thinking it was late enough that Summer would be asleep. 'Ya, concidern' she's up at four talkin' wit Skittery.' Jack yet again pushed the thought out of his head as he climbed the fire escape. If he came from the roof, he could sneak past Summer, if she was still up.  
  
As Jack reached the roof, the full moon came out from behind a cloud. The silver light reflected on two people kissing. Somehow jealousy crept into Jack as he watched the person he hated kissing one of his good friend. He didn't understand why he was jealous of the two. This was Summer for crying out loud.  
  
Jack angrily turned back around and climbed down the rusted fire escape. He stopped at the opened window of the bunkroom and climbed in (last time he snuck in the window after curfew, Summer was waiting for him at the window. That's why he went to the roof instead.). The same people who were playing poker in the lobby now sat around a kerosene lamp in the middle of the floor while the others slept. The five heads turned and watched Jack walk to his bunk.  
  
"Where have you been, Jack?" A concerned Emmy asked.  
  
"Out." Jack said as he climbed onto his bunk.  
  
"Oh. Have you seen Summer?"  
  
Jack thought about saying what she was really doing but instead said, "She's on da roof 'talkin' wit Skittery." Something in the tone of Jack's voice caught Emmy's attention.  
  
Emmy motioned to the guys that sat around her to move closer to her. She whispered to the other four so Jack wouldn't hear, "We'll do it tomorrow."  
  
**  
  
Please review now. It would make this gal really happy. Ciao! 


	9. Expectations and Conversations on the Ro...

No thank you's since I'm posting chapter eight and nine at the same time.  
  
Disclaimer~ I don't own 'em. Y'all should know that by now.  
  
**  
  
  
  
"That wasn't it what you thought it would be, was it? Because it wasn't what I expected." Summer as she rested her head on Skittery's shoulder.  
  
"No it wasn'" Skittery sighed as they watched the snow-white moon disappear behind another cloud. Nether one had felt the 'fireworks' you usually experience when you kiss someone you like. They each hoped that this kiss would not change the friendship they shared.  
  
"This is like the fifth time I have gone out or in your case basically made out with someone who would make a better friend than a boyfriend." The two sat in silence far a few minutes watching the passing clouds before Summer spoke again changing the subject. "Every morning when we talked, you never once told me your real name or how you got your nickname."  
  
"Dat's not a fair question."  
  
"And why is it unfair."  
  
"'Cuz I can' ask ya da question back."  
  
"But you know my full name and I don't have a nickname."  
  
"We's jist have ta t'ink of one for ya, Tex. It's Richard."  
  
"What's Richard?" Summer asked as she laid her head down on Skittery's lap so she could look at him while they talked.  
  
"Me name."  
  
"Richard. I like that name, Rich. So how did you get your nickname?"  
  
Skittery smiled as he remembered his first day at the LH. "The foist day I was 'ere, I was really jumpy and noivous around da guys. I'se usually noivous around people I don't know."  
  
"That's what I thought." Summer said in between yawns.  
  
"Since I can' ask ya how ya got yous nickname, Tex, how d'ya friend Trigger get 'er name?"  
  
It was Summer's turn to smile as she remembered her friend. "When she was younger, her father took her out to check on the cattle and make sure there were no coyotes around. Well Trigger saw one and got a little to trigger happy and shot her horse." The two friends laughed at the story. Summer readjusted her head on Skittery's lap trying desperately to keep her eyes open.  
  
"Summer?"  
  
"Yeah, Rich?" Summer yawned.  
  
Skittery hesitated on his question. He wanted to ask Summer the same question he asked her the first time they talked. "Why do ya hate Jack? 'E's really a great guy once ya get ta know him. I know 'e hasn' been da nicest guy to ya, but I t'ink youse should be da bigger poison and at least be civil to 'im, Summer. Summer?" Skittery looked down at the sleeping figure the rested that rested in his lap. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "G'night, Summer."  
  
**  
  
Please review. Maybe I should start bribing y'all with candy. How about Dutch chocolate since I don't eat chocolate to begin with. Or how about Dove chocolate. I'm sure my sister won't mind if I take it from her stash and give to y'all. 


	10. Revealing a Secrete

To all of the readers,  
  
I am really sorry it took me so long to update. I had softball, chorus concerts, SOLs, major projects, and exams to do. Hopefully I'll be able to update more often now that I get out of school on Thursday. So thank you to all of you who have reviewed. And to those of you that haven't, please? Thanks again!  
  
~*TaurusPrincess*~  
  
P.S.~ Is anyone going to go see Reign of Fire when it comes to theatres on July 12th? I know I am!  
  
**  
  
She was late. She was never late waking the boys up in the morning. She was late. All she remembered was talking to Skittery on the roof and then waking up to a warm New York sun. This day was going to be horrible. Summer could already tell.  
  
Summer, followed by a half awake Skittery, climbed in through the bunkroom window, hoping everyone was still asleep. To prove her statement of her horrible day, she was greeted by Jack at the window. Summer looked passed the newsy to see everyone else up and getting ready.  
  
"Ya know Summer, youse got an obligation to wake us up in da the moinin'. Late nights out on the roof can't keep you from dat. Good t'ing Emmy gets up early anyways, or we would have missed our moinin' papes." Summer opened her mouth as if to say something but then quickly closed it and pushed past Jack to head down stairs. "Oh, so what's dis? Da queen of comebacks doesn't have a clever comeback dis time? Looks like I get da last laugh finally." Jack smirked as Summer stopped in her tracks and turn to face him.  
  
"No, I'm not saying anything because I don't feel like arguing with you this morning. You've already made my life a living hell day in and day out and I don't need another argument to add to it." Summer stood inches from Jack's face as she yelled at him.  
  
"You could always quit 'n' go back to da hole you crawled out of."  
  
"I made a promise to my family, to my grandfather to take care of this place, so I guess you'll have to find some other job first. What was that?" Summer looked around the room to see where the noise had come from. Unbeknownst to the two as they argued, the others had put their plan into action. The others had left Jack and Summer alone in the bunkroom. Figuring they had gone to get their papes, Summer headed towards the closed bunkroom door for the second time that morning. She carefully turned the handle only to find it locked.  
  
"Aw, poor Summer can' open da door."  
  
"No Jack, it's locked."  
  
"Here, let me try." Summer backed away from the door to let Jack prove whatever point he trying to prove. He jimmied the handle forcefully until he realized that Summer was right, for once. "Race, Emerald, so help me if you don't open dis door right now…"  
  
"You'll do what Jack?" Emmy voice came from the other side. "We're not going to let you or Summer out until you can at least be civil to one another."  
  
"Like dat will ever happen."  
  
"Then it looks like the two of you will be in there for a while. Don't try the window, Jack," Jack stopped at Emmy's words. "Mush and Blink are standing right outside of the window and they're defiantly not going to let ya'll out."  
  
Summer pushed Jack out of the way so she could try to talk to Emmy. "Emmy," Summer said sweetly, "please let us out."  
  
"Like she said Summer, we ain't lettin' you out until you can be civil."  
  
"Skittery, Emmy, so help me if you do not let me out right now I will beat the living tar out of the both of you!" Summer screamed as she beat on the wooden door.  
  
"What's that Summer? I can't hear you through this door. I suggest the two of you start getting along because no one wants to put up with y'all continuously arguing with one another. I hope the two of you have a great day together." Emmy's soft footsteps could be heard as she followed Skittery down the stairs.  
  
"Great this is just what I need." Summer fell back onto one of the bunks as she talked.  
  
"Well if it weren't for you, I could be out sellin' right now." Jack followed Summer's idea except he picked a bunk opposite of hers.  
  
"Oh and how is this my fault? You're the one making my life a living hell. You're the one who started this whole mess."  
  
"Well youse the one who came into da lodgin' house with a bitchy attitude and put me down in front of all me friends."  
  
"Well if I remember correctly you left me at the station for four hours. Look, I really don't want to argue with you right now, so why don't you stay on your side of the room."  
  
"That suits me jist fine!"  
  
Summer lay back on the bunk wishing time away. She hoped that the others would come back and let her out soon. After what had seemed like a few hours, Summer took out her pocket watch. It had only been 30 minutes.  
  
Jack on the other hand watched Summer as she tried to get comfortable on the bunk bed. What had he done to end up like this? He usually got along with people, but Summer was different. There was something about that got to him. No matter how much he hated her, there was still that one thing that got to him.  
  
"Summer, how did we get off on da wrong foot?" Jack asked swallowing his pride. Maybe the others were right. Maybe they should at least try to be civil with one another.  
  
"Because you're a bastard."  
  
"I am not! Look, what I meant was you get along great wit every one else. Why are you different to me?"  
  
"Oh you want to know why? I tell you why. Because you are arrogant, selfish, a complete ass, and you remind me of Allan." 


	11. Unraveling the Truth

Actually, baiser is the noun form of kiss and embrasser is the verb form. In this case, I was using the noun form, but you are right. It also means fuck. Thanks for pointing that out. (I'm sorry to who ever wrote that review. My computer is being a pain and it won't let me read my reviews so I didn't remember your name.)  
  
Thanks to every one else who reviewed!  
  
**  
  
"…and you remind me of Allan." Summer's hands quickly covered her mouth when she let those six words slip out. She hadn't meant to say them, but she wasn't thinking at the time.  
  
"You hate me 'cuz I remind you of an ex-boyfriend?" Jack chuckled at the idea.  
  
"He was never my boyfriend. I would never date someone that vile." The anger that once clouded her blue eyes was now covered in fear as she thought of the man. His words and actions still haunted her mind.  
  
"Yeah but still, that's no reason ta hate me 'cuz I remind ya of a guy you dated." Jack hopped off of the bunk as he spoke, taunting Summer with every word seeing how riled up he could get her.  
  
"Can't you get it through your thick skull! I never dated him!"  
  
**  
  
"They've started to yell at each other again." Emmy said from her position on the other side of the door.  
  
"A buck says Summer soaks Jack for whatever he said ta her."  
  
"Race!" Emmy punched his arm.  
  
"What I do?" He said as he rubbed the soar spot.  
  
"This isn't something to bet on. We're trying to get them to be civil to each other."  
  
"Don't you need ta go 'n' find your boyfriend?"  
  
"He can wait till later. I want to hear what happens." Emmy pressed her ear to the door trying to pick up the whispering to between the two inside.  
  
"Ah. So you do want ta take me up on da bet."  
  
"Race!" Emmy swatted at him again, but this time he moved out of the way. Race just smiled at his friend as he relit his cigar.  
  
**  
  
Jack was shocked. Not at the fact that she had yelled at him, but what was in her eyes. Tears began to pool in her ocean blue eyes, threatening to fall with one blink. In the two month he had known Summer, Jack had never seen her cry.  
  
"Did you ever think that there were other reasons that I came to New York?" Summer paused for a second, but didn't wait for Jack to answer. "Did you ever think that my parents sent me here not just to baby-sit all of you, but to escape someone?"  
  
Jack walked next to the bunk that Summer sat on, intrigued by what she had to say. Summer didn't look at him, just at the wall across from her. She didn't want him to see the tears that she was wishing away.  
  
"Who's Allan then?"  
  
"Allan is the one I'm running from. He has always hated my parents and he's always wanted the land my father owns. He said that my father cheated him out of the land, but I know that's false. My father would never cheat anyone. Allan has always tried to threaten my father, but it was always been in public where he couldn't do much." The tears freely flowed down Summer's sun-kissed skin.  
  
"We never really worried about it that much. That is until the letter arrived. Allan wasn't threatening just my father anymore. The letter said that my father better keep an eye on me because bad things can happen to little girls when they are out alone in the middle of nowhere.  
  
"So I couldn't go anywhere anymore. Wherever I went, I always had Robby and Duke with me and I always carried my father's pistol or my rifle with me. One day, Robby and Duke had gone into town to get something for my father. They thought I would be ok by myself since I was so close to the house. But he grabbed me." Summer's words were stretched out between silent sobs. Jack didn't know what to do. He just continued to listen to her story. "He grabbed me and pulled me into the barn."  
  
"Did he…?"  
  
"No he didn't. Thank God Dakota and Michael heard me scream. The next day was the day that we got the letter that my grandfather had died. I guess in away it was kind of a blessing. My parents thought if I came here, he would stop the threats. From what my parents have written, his backed off for now." Summer turned and looked at Jack. Her eyes were no longer filled with independence and strength, but with fear and helplessness.  
  
Jack carefully wrapped his arms around the sobbing girl. He didn't know what to say to make her calm down some. He just held her in his arms and let her cry. All his reasons for hating her were now gone, washed away with her tears.  
  
**  
  
"What are dey sayin'?" Race asked Emmy.  
  
"I don't know. All I can hear is mumbling and even that stopped a few minutes ago. Here, I'm going to look in and see what's going on." Emmy carefully stood up and cracked open then door. She then closed it and headed towards the stairs.  
  
"Well, what's goin' on in dere?" Race's words were met by Emmy's satisfied grin. 


	12. And Now For Something Different

Mondie- Thanks for telling me. I was trying to put up Ch. 11 and that was the same day that the website was starting to crash. It kept sending me back to the log in screen, so I thought it never got put up. Hopefully it is fixed now.  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Oh yeah! I forgot I was suppose to be giving out chocolate to all those who reviewed, but my sister found out I was getting into her stash, so she re-hid them. So how does Oreos sound since there is an Oreo factory here in Richmond?  
  
Please keep R&R. Please?  
  
  
  
** He was walking with his friends towards Tibby's for lunch when she spotted him. Emmy carefully snuck up behind him and placed her soft delicate hands over his eyes.  
  
"Guess who." She whispered into his ear.  
  
"Da most beautiful goil in da world," Emmy smiled at his words, "Jennifer Van Wyck."  
  
"Hey!" Emmy said as she pushed Dutchy.  
  
"You didn't let me finish. As I was sayin' next ta my goilfriend Emily Samantha Emerald Duke." Dutchy wrapped his arm around Emmy's waist letting Specs and Skittery walk ahead of them.  
  
"That's more like it."  
  
"So what was goin' on back dere when ya went to go 'n' check on Summer and Jack? It must be somet'in good since yous is all smiles."  
  
"Well, I think it's good but Race and I were listening in on their conversation. They had been yelling at each other, something about Summer dating someone, when it got real quiet. So I decided to take a peak in and." Emmy said as she wiped the smile from her face trying to look sad.  
  
"And what? Summer didn' kill Jack did she?" Dutchy asked as he pulled away from her.  
  
"And Summer was crying and Jack was hugging her."  
  
"Dat's great. Maybe dey will start bein' civil to one another. So what do ya wanna do?" Dutchy asked as the two continued to walk not noticing the door they just passed.  
  
"I don't know. Since we just walked passed Tibby's, why don't we just go and walk around Central Park?"  
  
"Sure." Maybe now he could ask the question he'd been wanting to ask her for a while.  
  
The two walked in silence till they reached Emmy's favourite place. She had always said that the lake had reminded her of the lake back at her aunt's home in Georgia. Sitting under a nearby tree, she waited for Dutchy to join her before she spoke.  
  
"Dutchy."  
  
"Emmy." they said at the same time.  
  
"You go first."  
  
"Well, this is kind of random," Emmy began, "but why did you have my necklace? I thought I had hidden it pretty well when I left for Georgia." Emmy laughed at the silliness of her own question.  
  
"I don't know." Dutchy looked away as he tried to think of a good reason.  
  
"You're actually going to take my question seriously? I think it is ridiculous bringing up something that happened last year." Emmy started to giggle again as she watched her boyfriend think.  
  
"Yes. Why shouldn' I take somet'ing seriously dat the person I love asked?" Dutchy paused as he watched Emmy's smile grow bigger at the mention of love. "I guess I wondered who it belonged to, so I thought I would keep it 'til I found out who it belonged to. When I did find out, you told me to keep it and so I did." As he finished talking, Dutchy leaned over and kissed Emmy's cheek.  
  
Emmy turned towards the lake watching the crystal water reflect the golden rays. "Well I'm glad you found it and kept it. I didn't even remember where I hid it. It is very important to me. The emerald stone was the one that was on my grandmother's wedding ring. My grandfather put it on a necklace for me when I was a baby and gave it to me. He said I had my grandmother's eyes and the stone always made my grandmother's eyes sparkle brighter, as it did to mine."  
  
"I guess I returned it to the way it was before."  
  
"What?" Emmy asked as she turned and faced Dutchy trying to figure out what the words meant.  
  
"Emmy, we's been goin' out for almost a year now. Ever day, I find a new reason to love ya even more. I guess what I's trying to say is, will you marry me?" Dutchy carefully pulled an emerald ring out from his pocket.  
  
"It's my stone. How.?"  
  
"I saved up my money and had the stone put on a ring 'cuz I knew how much the necklace meant to you." Dutchy said, his eyes re-asking the question.  
  
Emmy looked back and forth between the ring and his eyes. "Of course I will!" She leaned in and kissed her fiancé as he slid the ring on her finger.  
  
"When are we going to tell the others?" Emmy asked after they broke away.  
  
"Let's make 'em wait awhile. We better start getting back. Maybe everyone still at Tibby's." 


	13. I'm to lazy to think of a Title

Yeah! I finally posted another chapter! Hopefully it will not take me another 2 months to post the next chapter, but only time will tell. Enjoy.  
  
Oh and I have kinda forget on the last couple of chapters to say this but, I have no affiliation with those mentioned here after or with Disney. I do however own the character of Summer Johnson.  
  
** "Did you hear that?" Summer asked as she pulled away from Jack.  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
"It sounded like someone opened the door and then closed it." Summer quickly wiped her eyes and hopped off of the bed walking towards the door. "It's unlocked."  
  
"Then let's get out of here. I t'ink we owe everyone a little payback." Jack started to leave when Summer grabbed his arm.  
  
"Wait Jack. Don't go yet."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I want you to promise not to tell anyone else about what I said to you. I don't want anyone to pity me." Summer said as she stared Jack in the eye.  
  
"I promise. Now can we leave, I'se getting pretty hungry." Jack turned to leave again when Summer punched him in the arm. "'Ey! What was dat for?" He said rubbing his sore arm.  
  
"That's for doing something I didn't think a person like you could do, and this," Summer leaned in and placed her lips on Jack's cheek, "that was for listening to me. Thanks. Now lets go to Tibby's, I'm kind of hungry too."  
  
Summer left Jack in the bunkroom stunned. Had the girl that he had detested for the past two months just kissed him? Did he just feel something in the light touch of skin that he hadn't noticed before? And why did he care so much? Had something changed in the way he felt for her?  
  
Or had it been there all along?  
  
"Hey Jack! Come on! I thought you said you were hungry." Summer yelled from the bottom of the steps.  
  
"I'm comin'" Jack shook the thoughts from his head and followed Summer to Tibby's.  
  
** (Summer's POV)  
  
'Why the hell did I just kiss him, Summer? I've despised him since I arrived and now I just kissed him. What is wrong with me? I mean, come on! This is Jack for crying out loud. He's a friend, if even that much.'  
  
'Maybe you want something other than a friend.'  
  
**  
  
The whole way to Tibby's neither Jack nor Summer uttered a single word to the other. It almost seemed as things were back to the way they were before, minus the arguing. When they reached the hang out, Summer grabbed a seat across from Skittery and next to Specs. She nodded at Specs instead of talking.  
  
Summer sat for a few seconds before she spoke. "I hope you got a kick out of it, Skit." Summer said as calmly as she could. Not noticing that she had sat down, Skittery jumped at the sound of her voice, his fork clattering against the plate.  
  
"When'd they let you out?"  
  
"A little while a go. So did you get a kick out of it? 'Cuz I know it was your idea."  
  
"I'se got no idea what you're talkin' about. 'Sides, it was Emmy's idea." Skittery said as he went back to eating his food.  
  
"Yeah, and you probably gave her ideas. Speaking of Emmy, where is she?"  
  
"She went walkin' with Dutchy. Looks like dey's back." Specs said as the two walked into the restaurant and joined the three at their table.  
  
"And where have you been, Miss Duke. I'm surprised that you weren't here telling everyone about what you saw." Summer questioned the glowing girl seated next to her.  
  
"Just walking around." Emmy answered with a happy sigh. The girls sat listening to the boys talk when Emmy tugged on Summer's arm.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Look under the table." Emmy whispered into Summer's ear.  
  
Something reflected green patterns in the light under the table.  
  
"Is that what I think it is?" Emmy nodded, her smile widening even more. "Congratulations!" Summer hugged Emmy while the two squealed in delight. "We've got so much planning to do. I've got a few ideas if you don't mind me helping."  
  
"No, not at all. There's no way I could do it on my own."  
  
"What's goin' on?" Mush asked. By now more of the boys had gathered around the table curious to find out what all the squealing was about.  
  
Emmy glanced over at Dutchy questioningly. He smiled and nodded back at her. Slowly, Emmy pulled her hand up onto the table.  
  
"We're getting married."  
  
Congrats came in all directions. Emmy was hugged so many times she lost count. For the next few hours, celebratory toasts were given, afternoon papes completely forgotten. However, when 10 o'clock rolled around, Summer spoke up.  
  
"Hey guys. Guys!" Summer tried to get their attention, but it was to no avail. Summer pulled herself up onto the nearest table. A sharp whistle was heard throughout the restaurant. Everyone silenced at the noise and turned towards Summer.  
  
"Sorry to break up the party, but it is time to get back to the lodge." Groans came from several of the boys.  
  
"C'mon Summer. We's celebrating here. Loosin' up already."  
  
"Bite me Jack. Now like I was saying before, if you don't want to sleep outside tonight, I suggest you get back now."  
  
"Wouldn't be the first time." Jack mumbled to Race. He snickered at the commit.  
  
"And I know it won't be the last time, either, Jack." Summer hopped off the table and headed towards the leader. "Get going now."  
  
"We don' have to, Summer." Jack glared at the figure that stood before him.  
  
"Now where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, how about the first night I was here? Get a new line Jack. It didn't work then and it isn't going to work now. Now go!"  
  
Jack looked as though he was going to retort something back to her, but he couldn't think of anything. Not one to admit defeat easily, Jack forcefully pushed past Summer and headed out the door. Her eyes just bore into his back angrily.  
  
** "I t'ought you said dey had woiked things out." Dutchy asked his fiancée as he, Emmy, Skittery, and Race walked back to the lodging house.  
  
"I thought they did too. They seemed fine when we let them out, but I guess that was just a façade. I doubt they'll ever get along." She said snuggling closer to Dutchy.  
  
"I wouldn't say dat. Am I the only one who can see da truth?"  
  
"What do you mean, Skit?"  
  
"Dey's like each odah. Dey's just to pig headed to realize it."  
  
"So what are we gonna do about it?" Race asked.  
  
"I'se got an idea, but it'll have ta wait 'til next Friday."  
  
"What's your idea?" Emmy asked eagerly.  
  
"Let's just say I don't t'ink either of 'em looks good in green." 


End file.
